T20 World Cup: What will happen if the semifinal between SA and NZ is rained out

2026-03-04 - 08:13

While spectators will be hoping to watch a full game, South Africans won’t be left disappointed if the T20 World Cup semifinal between the Proteas and New Zealand is called off in Kolkata on Wednesday. If a result is not achieved due to rain, the match will not be held on a reserve day. Instead, the team that finished higher in the Super Eight stage will progress to the final. The Proteas finished top of their group in the second round with six points, while the Black Caps took the runner-up spot in their group with three points. Therefore, if the game is rained out, the SA team will book their place in the final for the second successive edition of the T20 World Cup. Should it rain, an additional 90 minutes of playing time has been allocated in order to ensure the teams are given a chance to try and get a result. No rain expected However, weather disruptions are unlikely, with 0% precipitation predicted in Kolkata, and warm and sunny conditions expected at Eden Gardens. Though the fourth T20 International between SA and India was cancelled in December due to poor visibility caused by smog in Lucknow, this was also unlikely to be an issue on Wednesday. With the air quality index in Kolkata currently ranging in the ‘moderate to satisfactory’ category, the match was expected to go ahead as planned, starting at 3.30pm (SA time).